Liquid-fuel delivery system for internal-combustion engines



Dee 2, C. HAMMOND LIQUID FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 'Filed March 24, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR CL/NTf/AMMOND,

A TTOR NE YS Dec. 1924. 1,518,@

C. HAMMOND LIQUID FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Fil ed March 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES INVENTOR CL/WTHAFYNOND,

A TTOR NEYS Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

CLINT HAMMOND, F BOYNE CITY, MICHIGAN.

Application filed March 24, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINT HAMMOND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boyne City, in the county of Charlevoix and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Fuel Delivery Systems for Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in liquid fuel delivery systems for internal combustion engines.

The invention more particularly relates to a vacuum feed system or apparatus adapted to be utilized for insuring the delivery of liquid fuel to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine employed upon a motor vehicle or the like; and has for its general objects to provide an apparatus of this character which will operate in a positive and certain manner; which is exceedingly simple in construction; which is not subject to getting out of working order, and which may be applied to a motor vehicle at a relatively low cost.

Other objects, and objects relating to details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts will hereinafter appear in the detailed description to follow.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a front portion of a motor vehicle with parts broken away and showing the invention applied.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the vacuum tank and associated parts employed in the present invention.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line H and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings more particularly, in Figure 1, 10 indicates generally the body of a motor vehicle, 11 the front supporting wheels thereof, 12 an internal combustion engine of the usual construction, 13 a liquid fuel tank which in this instance is positioned beneath the seat of the vehicle as is customary, and 1 1 the intake manifold of the engine 12.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a tank generally indicated at 15, said tank being preferably cylindri- Seriafl No. 627,385.

calin shape and arranged as shown. Upon the upper end of the tank there is threaded a cap 16 which is provided or formed with a pair of nipples 17 and 18. The nipple 17 is threaded as at 19 so that the same may be properly connected to a tube 20 withthe intake manifold 14. The nipple 18 .is adapted to serve as a vent or outlet port for the tank 15 and its passage 21 is enlarged at its outer end as shown whereby to receive a valve member 22, said valve member being preferably of the shape shown and having extending from its lower end a stem 23. The passage 24 of nipple 17 is enlarged at its inner end and adapted to seat a valve member 25. The one end of the valve member 25 is formed with a stem 26 adapted to serve as a guide member in the movements of said valve member. The other end of the valve member is pivotally connected as at 27 to a lever bar 28, said lever bar being in turn pivotally connected as at 29 at its one end toa supporting lug 30 extending from the cap. 16. The other end of the lever 28 is pivotally connected to the valve stem 23 as at 31 and also has secured thereto the one end of a cord or the like 32.

Within the tank 15 there is fitted a valve member 33, said valve member preferably comprising a circular plate 3 1 having suitable packing 35 about the periphery thereof, and said plate being formed centrally with a lug 36 to which the other end of the cord 32 is secured. Tothe-valve member33 there is also secured a float member 36, said float member being slightly less in diameter than a the diameter of the tank 15 and freely movable longitudinally of the tank. The float 36 may be secured to the valve 33 in any preferable manner and also the upper end of the float may b tapered as at 37.

The lower end of the tank has threaded thereon a cap 38, said cap being formed with the two L-shaped nipples 39 and 40, each nipple having its free end portion threaded as shown. The nipple 39 has position-ed therein a ball 41 which is adapted to serve as a one-way valve, that is, adapted to permit liquid to flow to the tank 15 through the nipple 39 only. The nipple 410 is also provided with a ball-valve 42, and at d3 there is provided a stop for said ball valve. This ball-valve is adapted to permit the liquid to flow from the tank 15 only.

The nipple 39 is suitably connected through a pipe 44 with the fuel supply tank 13, while the nipple 40 is connected through pipe 45 with the carburetor 14.

The operation of the present apparatus is as follows: Upon starting the engine 12 a suction is created in the intake manifold and with the valve members and 25 in the position shown in Figure 2, this suction will lift the valve member 38 together with the float 36, and due to the fact that the valve 33 forms a substantially air-tight fit for the interior of the tank 15, the action of this valve when moving upwardly will he to draw liquid from the tank 13 through the pipe 44 and nipple 39, and thus to fill the interior of the tank 15. Upon the valve member 33 reaching the upper end of the tank 15 the same will engage with the free end of the lever 28 and thereby move the same upwardly to close the valve 25 and open the valve 22. Upon this occurring the suction from the intake manifold of the engine will cease and the upper end of the tank 15 will be brought into communication with the atmosphere through the nipple 18, thus relieving any suction on the valve member 33. As the liquid now in the tank 15 is used, the float member 36 will move downwardly and upon reaching a position so that the lever 28 is operated, to move the valve. 22 for closing the passage of nipple l8 and the valve member 25 to its position for opening the passage of the nipple 17, then a suction will be again established for lifting the valve member 33, and the operation heretofore described for filling the tank 15 with liquid fuel will be repeated.

It might be here mentioned, that should it be desired to locate the fuel tank 13 at a point above the tank 15, then the connections would be the same and as described for the present arrangement and when the vehicle is proceeding on a level highway or road, the valve lever 33 would at all times remain stationary and at the upper end of the tank 15, that is, sufficient liquid would flow in the tank 15 by gravity to lill the same. In case that the motor vehicle proceeded up an incline for a considerable period and the tank 15 was not supplied with liquid by gravity, then the valve meniher 33 would move downwardly and upon the same reaching the position for closing valve member 22 and opening valve member 25, the suction operation heretofore described would be repeated for filling the tank 15 with liquid fuel.

"While I have shown and described the preferred form and arrangement of my invention, it is to be understood, that 1 am aware of the fact that the same might be slightly changed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, as indicated by the appended claim.

I claim:

In an apparatus of the character described, a tank having a liquid intake and a liquid outlet in its bottom, and an opening in its top adapted to establish communication with the atmosphere, a source of suction connected with the upper end of tank a float within the tank, a valve member carried by the float adapted to form a close lit with the inner walls of the tank, valve means normally adapted to maintain the connection between the source of suction and tank open. and close the communication between the tank and atmosphere, said valve means being also adapted to be operated by the valve member to close the suction connec tion and establish communication between the tank and atmosphere upon the valve member reaching the upper end of tank, and flexible connecting means between the valve member and valve means for said suction connection and atmosphere opening, whereby said valve means will be positively returned to normal position upon the valve member approaching the bottom of the tank.

CLINT HAMMOND.

l'in 

